NatWest to close three West Sussex banks - MP says decision is 'disgraceful'

The banking group is set to permanently close its branches in Broadwater, Shoreham-by-Sea and Manor Royal, Crawley.

The bank in Broadwater Street East will shut on Tuesday, May 16. The Shoreham branch – in East Street – will remain open until a banking hub is available, with no definitive closure date given.

Meanwhile, the branch in Manor Royal, Crawley will close for the final time on Thursday, May 11.

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said: “Bad news. NatWest announced it's closing two remaining branches in Shoreham and Broadwater.

"That means there will not be a single bank branch serving the 91,000 constituents in the whole of East Worthing and Shoreham. Disgraceful. They have agreed to a banking hub [in] Shoreham instead.”

NatWest revealed that – between 2019 and 2022 – counter transactions decreased by 64 per cent.

In Worthing, customers can make use of banking services at any Post Office. The closest Post Office is Broadwater Gate, 0.15 miles away and the nearest branch is Worthing’s South Street which is just over one mile away.

For the branch in Shoreham by Sea – where the independent LINK assessment process has recommended the installation of a banking hub – the company will only close the NatWest branch once this has taken place.

A NatWest spokesperson said: “As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking, because it’s faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives.

“We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren’t right for everyone or every situation, and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind.

“We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them.”

The news comes after Lloyds announced the closures of its banks in Littlehampton and Rustington. Click here to read more.

Have you read?: School strikes in Sussex: Which schools will be closed or partly closed as a result of the strike action?

Over 80 Halifax branches are on list of closures according to bank- see if any are near you